Genre: electronica Song style: like a female Depeche Mode
Random coincidence of a song! It's been sitting on my list of songs to update probably because it made the Oricon rankings recently so I decided to look into it. It's very chill but I like the electronic vibe a lot. I'm a big Depeche Mode fan, and it really has a similar vibe. The producer for this song is one of my true loves - Ishiwatari Jyunji is the producer of a number of other amazing bands on here, including 9mm Parabellum Bullet, Chatmonchy, and A Flood of Circle. Yoshinori Sunahara is a talented electronic keyboardist, and singer Yakushimaru Etsuko is the vocalist of band Soutaiseiriron (相対性理論). I'll be checking out the three of these rigorously in the next days. Anyways, this song is apparently the theme song of the anime "四畳半神話大系" ("The Tatami Galaxy") about a college student of Kyoto University. Fits perfectly with the last post and my reminiscing of Kansai as I prepare for Kanto. Expect a continuing Kyoto theme (well for at least one more post)!
Genre: hard rock, grunge, punk Song style: catchy scratchy rock
I don't know much about this band but I've seen some of the music videos off their DVD special - (the pair of this song and the song Ghost) - and they sound pretty awesome and exciting. There's not enough heavy bands like this in Japan! Dunno what's up with the random table tennis videos though. These songs come off their album "Paradox Parade", which was released last year. I feel the craziness they talk about in the song - I've graduated but strangely been warped back to freshman year because of my summer job. Living a strange life as a semi-adult. And getting excited for Japan!!
Genre: hard rock, alternative Song style: a new kind of girls' rock
I randomly saw these gals during some Youtube browsing, and wow I'm impressed! Despite the plethora of female artists on this blog, I have a strong bias for male vocalists, especially in the genre of heavier rock music. But these girls from Okinawa do an amazing job of pulling it off, and give an interesting masculine yet feminine melodic vibe. I look forward to looking into more of their music. They released an album back in February that I'll try and get a hold of. On random other notes, travel has come back into my life! This is my last day back at home before returning to school for graduation and some part-time work. And two days ago I bought tickets for a trip to Shanghai (with the World Expo) and Korea! I'm excited but a little nervous about what this year will have in store for me.
Genre: alternative, maybe shoegazing Song style: high-pitched female vocals, good bass
I have to say from what I've heard so far, I find Chatmonchy a little bland. But I'm a big fan of the bass in this song, and it sort of grows on you (skip ahead a bit in the video by the way, it has a long intro). Today was strange, got a free salon haircut, had a free Italian dinner, then went to a Russian fashion show but got turned away because of my underage sister. Then got praised / yelled at by random homeless people. So many random strangers talked to us today, it was sort of annoying. And then as we were stuck in between stations in the train, I listened to some Rin Toshite Shigure as I watched an old man go senile through Sudoku, putting the same numbers next to each other and in the same squares. This video also explores senility versus youth (the only connection I can get to my day hehe). They will be performing at Japan Nite at San Fran, LA, and NY, as the most well-known band on the tour, so maybe both you and I should do more research on these gals.
Hands down my favorite Japanese band for the past 2 years...
9mm Parabellum Bullet - Supernova
Genre: according to Wikipedia Japan, hardcore punk, heavy metal, and emo. I would also add in post-hardcore Song style: heavy yet very melodic, fatalistic
This band has just really blown me away. It has been so hard for me to wait this long to make a post about them. I discovered them walking around on the streets one day and seeing a music video advertisement. I'm sure all you music lovers go through phases in your life defined by one main band (like for me, middle school was Korn, high school was half Nine Inch Nails, half Muse, etc). My life right now is 9mm Parabellum Bullet. Their extremely intricate guitar parts and effective mix of melody-driven vocals but intermittent screaming makes the band so fresh. The singer has a voice very unique to Japanese music, yet the melodies are all something you would never find in America. They started out pretty unknown, but in the recent couple of months have gained huge popularity, their singles constantly making it into the top ten. Their heavy touring also generates a strong fan following. I saw them almost exactly a year ago in Kyoto in a small club. Though the venue was small, it was the first concert where I couldn't see the band at all and instead watched their reflection on a shiny poster.
Another thing that really stands out for me is their beautiful, cryptic lyrics. Check out the English translation for this song thanks to this site and some editing from me:
When I embraced the 100,000 degree sun My mind became a desert And every time the chilling wind blew through my head The rain drops of my tears glistened
With just the touch of my fingertip
Maybe everyone’s hearts fall apart without making a sound I won’t gather those pieces even if they get scattered What was I looking at beyond the full moon? A sea of broken stars
If I want to help that girl Who embraced my 100,000 degree body
With just the touch of my fingertip Only a scar is opened
I won’t forget the things I burned in order to shine Even if it all falls apart
Was I looking at the darkness beyond the full moon? A sea of broken stars
Maybe everyone’s hearts fall apart without making a sound I won’t gather those pieces even if they get scattered Beyond the full moon, beyond the full moon Was god watching from beyond the full moon?
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